[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 72 (Thursday, May 26, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H4125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      DEMOCRATS OUT OF MAINSTREAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to put the lie to House Democrat 
rhetoric. The Democrat leadership, from Howard Dean to the gentlewoman 
from California (Ms. Pelosi), claim that House Republicans are out of 
the mainstream. Well, Mr. Speaker, if we are out of the mainstream, 
they are swimming downriver in some backwoods tributary.
  From a parent's right to know what their children are doing, to 
protecting citizens across the country from the growing threat of gang 
violence, the House Democrat leadership is simply out to lunch.
  Eight pieces of landmark legislation that passed this House with 
strong support from rank-and-file Democrats, and still the minority 
leadership refuses to see the light. On every one of these important 
bills, the gentlewoman from California (Leader Pelosi) chose to vote 
against legislation that the vast majority of Americans, Democrats and 
Republicans alike, approve of.
  Bankruptcy reform, 73 Democrats voted for it, but Leader Pelosi did 
not. Class action reform, 50 Democrats voted for it, but Leader Pelosi 
did not. The Gang Deterrence and Protection Act of 2005, 71 Democrats 
voted for it, but Leader Pelosi did not. A new energy policy for 
America, 41 Democrats voted for it, and, you guessed it, Leader Pelosi 
did not. Protecting a parent's right to know before their daughter has 
an abortion, 54 Democrats voted for it, and Leader Pelosi did not.
  It is as simple as this, Mr. Speaker. The House Democrat leadership 
is engaged in a strategy designed to do one and only one thing: prevent 
any and all action sponsored by Republicans from becoming law. Their 
obstruction of House Republicans' solutionist agenda shows just how far 
out of the mainstream they really are.
  Mr. Speaker, it would be one thing if House Democrats tried to block 
legislation based on policy disagreements, but it is quite another for 
them to block legislation based on politics. And that, Mr. Speaker, is 
just what they are doing.
  Democrats believe they can win at the ballot box by obstructing, and 
they would rather win the next election than move America forward. Make 
no mistake: the votes I just spoke about are telling. Rank-and-file 
Democrats, those who believe what is best for America is more important 
than election politics, are brave in their defiance of their leaders. 
They understand that simply being the Democrat Party of No will not 
increase our security, build our economy, or create jobs.
  If you need more proof, just look at retirement security. 
Republicans, led by President Bush, have the foresight to address the 
looming crisis facing tomorrow's retirees. We know that sometime in the 
near future, our Social Security system will be bankrupt.

                              {time}  1700

  If we do not make tough decisions now, future Americans will have to 
make even tougher ones. But Democrats just do not see a problem. Or is 
it that they would rather pretend there is not one?
  When President Bush announced his intention to reform Social 
Security, he and other Republicans crossed the country to engage the 
American people in dialogue. He declared that nothing was off the table 
and signaled his willingness to consider any and all options. The 
Democrat response: refusal to come to the negotiating table.
  One poll shows that by 61 percent to 29 percent Americans under 40 
say that Social Security needs to be fixed. At the same time, many in 
the minority stick to their head-in-the-sand argument that there is no 
problem. Democrat leaders are not only out of the American mainstream, 
but are also out of the Democratic mainstream. Yet they have the 
gumption to accuse Republicans of being out of touch.
  The American people must not buy into the Democrat rhetoric. They are 
doing a lot of talking. But do not confuse activity for achievement. 
What tangible results can the minority point to? The answer is none. 
They have no agenda. They have no vision and they have a fundamental 
misunderstanding of the issues we face as a Nation.
  Democrats, not Republicans, Mr. Speaker, are the ones who are out of 
the mainstream.

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